Different forms of alkaline phosphatase in adult rat femur. Effect of a Vitamin D₃-deficient diet and of a sorbitol-enriched diet

Summary

In the femoral extremities of the adult rat containing the metaphysis, the epiphyseal cartilage, and the epiphysis, four alkaline phosphatase (AP) forms were distinguished on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Two soluble forms were present in the 160,000 g supernatant: one of Mr 165 kDa and another of Mr 110–115 kDa, which exhibited a strong catalytical activity. Moreover, from the pellet, three membrane-bound forms of Mr 130, 110–115, and 100 kDa could be extacted with sodium deoxycholate. When denaturated AP was visualized by postelectrophoretic autoradiography of the phosphorylated intermediates, subunits always appeared as three monomers of Mr 75–80, 60–70, and 50–60 kDa. As four native forms but only three types of subunits were found to be present in the femur, it seems that, apart from homodimers, some heterodimers could also occur. Three types of diets were administered to three groups of rats for 5 weeks. Two are known to disturb bone mineralization: (1) a vitamin D₃-deficient diet, and (2) the same as (1) but enriched with 12% sorbitol. The third was a normal diet containing vitamin D₃. Concerning the effects on AP of dietary sorbitol and the vitamin D₃-deficient diet, it was found that rats receiving the diet supplemented with sorbitol showed a substantial rise in the activity of the Mr 165 kDa form with the concomitant appearance of a new monomer of Mr 100 kDa. In contrast, rats fed the vitamin D₃-deficient diet always displayed an increase in enzyme activity, principally of the Mr 100 and 110 kDa forms. In conclusion, the femur extracts of normal rats contained different forms of AP: either soluble 110–115 and 165 kDa forms or membrane-bound 130, 110–115, and 100 kDa forms. The administration of sorbitol-enriched diet induced a marked increase of the 165 kDa form whereas the administration of vitamin D₃-deficient diet increased the 100 and 110 kDa forms.